Breaking Point
by Keitorin Asthore
Summary: AU. Ten year old Anna has been pushed and forced to become the ideal Shaman Queen. But all of her repression is bound to burst out at some point. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to Hiroyuki Takei and Shonen Jump, not me.

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"I can't handle her anymore."

Keiko switched the phone to her other ear. "Can't you say 'hello'?" she inquired.

"She's a little wild beast. I can't control her anymore," Kino continued.

"I suppose you're talking about Anna," Keiko said. She opened the takeout menu and studied the chicken column. "Well, you've been controlling her with an iron rod for the past seven years. I'd go a little nuts too."

"We're coming to Izumo."

Keiko dropped the menu and grabbed the phone. "What? Mom, you're not serious!" she exclaimed.

"Of course I'm serious," Kino said. "Anna is a little wildcat. She needs a change of pace, a change of scene."

"You mean you want me to babysit her."

"We'll be there by tomorrow night. Don't order takeout; I can't stand that stuff," Kino said.

"No- wait- Mom!"

"We'll see you tomorrow." The phone clicked.

Keiko held the portable over her head and shook it mightily. "Mothers-in-law!" she shouted.

Yoh popped his head in the kitchen. "Talking to Grammy?" he asked.

"I swear, they should outlaw mothers-in-law," Keiko said. "Hey, you want pepper chicken tonight, or Szechwan?"

"Pepper," Yoh answered. "You're not telling me something. Your eyebrow's twitching."

Keiko sighed heavily. "Grammy's coming to visit, hon," she confessed.

Yoh winced. "Should I hide the Boblove CDs?"

"Not in the second best guest room. She's bringing Anna along," Keiko said.

"I think I'm going to hide along with the Boblove CDs," Yoh said. He started to sidle out of the room.

"Oh, no you don't, mister," Keiko said. She grabbed the back of his tee shirt. "We like Anna. We feel sorry for Anna."

"We think Anna is a headcase."

Keiko let go. "Okay, so that's partially true," she said. "But that's only because she had to live on a frozen mountaintop with Kino Asakura for seven years with no human companionship."

"She had Grammy."

"I said _human_."

Yoh pulled an apple out of the basket on the counter. "Do I have to kiss her?" he asked.

"What? You're ten! No kissing!" Keiko said. "You're at the 'awkward hug' stage. When you're thirteen you can start worrying about kissing. And no lip-kissing until later."

"What about lip-kissing?" Mikihisa asked.

"Ooh, I want one!" Keiko said. She tilted her face upwards and received her prize.

"Dad was in an unusually good mood today," Mikihisa said. "He let me leave the temples early. Only a couple little problems nearby, although he thinks he needs to go to Hatchi to exorcise a really annoying tanuki. What about you?"

"Oh, you know, the usual," Keiko said. "A little cleaning, a little shopping. Yoh wants pepper chicken for dinner."

Mikihisa frowned. "You're not telling me something," he said. "Your eyebrow's doing that funny jumping thing."

"Grammy's coming!" Yoh announced gleefully.

Mikihisa blanched. "Yoh, I'm going to hide with your Boblove CDs," he said.

"She's bringing Anna too," Yoh added.

"When?" Mikihisa groaned. "Maybe I can come up with an excuse…"

"Tomorrow night," Keiko said. "Maybe I should cook, and then we can all come down with food poisoning."

"Yes!" Yoh exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air.

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**Author's Note:  
**The dialogue between Yoh and Keiko is inspired by Lorelei and Rory Gilmore in Gilmore Girls. Sad, but true.

I like writing Mikihisa, Keiko, and Yoh as a normal family. It's cute. And fun. Yeah.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to Hiroyuki Takei and Shonen Jump, not me.

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Nevertheless, at six sharp the following night, there was a knock on the door.

"They're here!" Keiko yelped. "They're here, they're here!" She skidded on the hall carpet and yanked the door open. "Mom…hello," she said.

Kino squinted up at her. "Your hair is longer," she commented.

"Yes, well," Keiko said. "I thought you said you were bringing Anna."

"She's over there," Kino said. She snapped her fingers. "Anna, say hello."

"Hello, Mrs. Asakura," Anna said in a low, tight voice. She was even more skeletal than she had been on her last visit. Her dark eyes were huge and sunken in her head, staring at her surroundings. Thin pale hair hung around her hollowed cheeks and scraggled across her thin shoulders. The worn-out black dress she wore only served to make her thinner and sallower. _This is the wild little creature?_

"Anna, it's…uh…nice to see you," Keiko said. "Do you have your suitcases?"

"She's got them," Kino said. "Anna, take them up to our rooms." Anna nodded and slipped past Keiko.

_I'm starting to see where the child gets her mental problems,_ Keiko thought. Out loud, she said, "Dinner's ready, Mom."

"It's not takeout, is it?"

"No, Mom."

"And you didn't cook, did you?"

"No, Mom. Yoh and Mikihisa made dinner for us. All your favorites," Keiko said, forcing cheerfulness into her tone. "You've never mentioned what Anna likes, so-"

"She'll eat plain rice," Kino said sharply. Then she paused. "Well…it is an occasion. I'll allow her to have some soy sauce." Keiko rolled her eyes.

"Hi, Grammy!" Yoh said, bounding towards his grandmother. _Where does that boy get all his energy? _Keiko thought.

"Calm down," Kino said. "That sort of hopping about is better suited to a grasshopper, not the Shaman King."

"Mom, he's _ten_. You know, ten? Like the age where boys usually hop around like grasshoppers?"

"Hello, Mother," Mikihisa greeted, gliding through and interrupting what could have been a potential catfight. "How was the trip?"

"Not as bad as the last one," Kino said. "But not by much."

"I'm glad," Mikihisa said. "Where's Anna?"

"She's the new bellboy," Keiko said. "We ought to get her a little uniform. The cap would look cute on her."

"She's carrying our bags upstairs," Kino said. "She is the slowest child I have ever seen."

Keiko noticed the pale, sharp face appear at the old woman's elbow. "Uh…the slow child has arrived," she said.

Kino tapped her cane against the back of Anna's knees. "Say hello, Anna," she ordered.

"Hello, Mr. Asakura," Anna murmured obediently.

"And your fiancé too, or are you an idiot?"

"Hello," Anna said.

Yoh fidgeted. "Uh, hi…," he said awkwardly. Anna stared at her feet when she spoke, never raising her dark eyes to look at him directly.

"Why don't we go sit down," Mikihisa suggested.

Yoh leaned over to his mother as they headed towards the dining room. "Mom, she looks like a wax sculpture from a museum," he whispered.

"Yeah, and she talks about the same amount as one too…" Keiko whispered back. She gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry. I set it up so you're sitting between me and Dad. We played rock paper scissors, and he lost, so he sits next to his mother and I sit next to the wax sculpture." Yoh stifled a giggle.

"Where's that husband of mine?" Kino asked as Keiko started to serve the food.

"Hatchi," Mikihisa said. "There was a tanuki wreaking havoc. An emergency." He handed bowls of rice to Anna and Kino. Anna whispered her thanks.

"Anna, you can't eat that much," Kino said. She pulled the bowl from her hands and proceeded to scrape about half of the contents back into the serving bowl. "I'm allowing you soy sauce, and that's enough for tonight. If you continue to eat such large amounts of food, you'll be fat. And no Shaman King in his right mind will want a fat queen."

"Oh, that's all right. Yoh likes 'em built for comfort and not for speed," Keiko said.

Yoh's ears turned red as he elbowed her hard. "_Mother_," he hissed.

"I'll ignore that comment," Kino said. She handed the bowl to Anna. "That is a proper portion for you. Be grateful."

The others continued their meal, but it was a bit disconcerting to watch the painfully thin blonde eat one grain of rice at a time, savoring the taste and making the tiny amount last.

When dinner was over, Kino promptly sent Anna off to bed. Yoh offered to clean the kitchen, thereby escaping. Mikihisa and Keiko sat stiffly on the loveseat in the living room, facing Kino in the armchair opposite.

"So..." Mikihisa started. "How long are you staying, Mother?" Keiko braced herself for the answer. When Yoh was born, Kino stayed for almost two months. It was pure hell.

"Oh, I'm leaving tomorrow," the old woman said.

"Well!" Keiko said. "That's not much time for a visit! I thought you said you wanted to get Anna out of the house, in a new setting." Mikihisa shot her a glance that clearly said _Don't invite her to stay!_

"I said that _I_ am leaving tomorrow," Kino said. "Anna will be staying with you."

"How long?"

"Indefinitely."

"Mother, you can't-" Mikihisa began.

Keiko held up her hand. "Mom," she said. "We'll take Anna, on one condition."

"What is that?" Kino inquired, nostrils narrowing.

"That Mikihisa and I will be given free rein to raise her," Keiko said.

"Fine," Kino said with a wave of her hand. "Do whatever you like. She's a brilliant itako, but I can't seem to quite make her into the proper companion for a king." She leaned forward. "To be quite honest, I think there's something wrong with her. You know…in her head. "

"Oh, well," Mikihisa stammered. "We'll…uh…take good care of her."

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**Author's Note:  
**Here we are: Evil!Kino and Abused!Anna. I swear, I write them like this all time. Can't seem to get away from that.

More Gilmore Girls dialogue. Huzzah!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to Hiroyuki Takei and Shonen Jump, not me.

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The next morning at eight o'clock, Kino prepared to return to Ozoresan. "Goodbye, grandson," she said.

Yoh hugged his grandmother sleepily. "Bye, Grammy," he yawned.

"It was nice to have you visit, Mother," Mikihisa said.

"Yes, it sure was," Keiko said.

Kino tapped her cane on the ground. "Aren't you going to bid me farewell, Anna?" she demanded.

"Have a good trip, Mrs. Asakura," Anna said.

"Make sure she doesn't eat too much," Kino said. "If she gets much fatter, I don't know what I'll do." She ascended into the taxicab and the car took off down the long driveway.

"I pity that driver," Mikihisa muttered.

Keiko clapped her hands. "Okay, Anna!" she said cheerily. "Let's get you moved into your new bedroom!" She put her hand on Anna's shoulder.

For the first time, the beast that Kino had mentioned burst out. Anna jerked away from Keiko so viciously her shoulder popped. "Don't touch me," Anna hissed through her clenched teeth.

"Okay, okay," Keiko said. "Let's just see your room." She looked back at Mikihisa and exchanged glances.

The room they had selected for Anna was a calm, secluded room that had formerly been a spare guest room. The walls were white and the dark furniture was simple, but there was a door leading to the courtyard, a private bathroom, and a roomy closet. "This is all mine?" Anna ventured. The snarling voice had vanished.

"Mm-hm, all yours," Keiko said. "We can paint the walls any color you'd like. And some new furniture…I think we have some nicer stuff somewhere around here…"

"No, no…" Anna said. She wandered about, staring but not touching. "I've never had a room of my own before."

"Really?" Keiko said. "Where did you sleep before?"

"On the floor in Mrs. Asakura's room," Anna said matter-of-factly. Timidly she touched the clean white cover of the raised bed.

"What grade in school are you?" Keiko asked. "I guess you'll be starting fifth grade, the same as Yoh."

"I don't know," Anna said. "I didn't go to real school. Mrs. Asakura just taught me out of textbooks."

"We'll run down by the school and enroll you this afternoon," Keiko promised. "Now, let's put all of your clothes away."

Anna looked down at the weatherbeaten little black dress she wore. "This is it," she said. "This is the only dress I own."

Keiko blinked several times. "You mean no other clothes?" she repeated. "No pants or shorts or tee shirts? Not even a kimono of your own?" The tiny ten-year-old shook her head. "Poor kid. I'll take you shopping after I enroll you." Keiko appraised her. "Black is not good on you. Pale colors, maybe…even some red, if you feel daring. Pink , though…I think I'll dress you in pink."

Anna just stared blankly at Keiko.

"Uh…" she stammered. "Let's go get some lunch. What do you want to eat?"

"I only eat rice," Anna reminded her. "Mrs. Asakura says I'm getting fat."

"Anna!" Keiko exclaimed. "You're too skinny as is! I'd rather have you fat. Let's go eat some food and get fat." The scrawny blonde followed her obediently to the kitchen. Keiko hummed to herself as she scooped leftover pepper chicken into a bowl and popped in the microwave. "All right," she said, licking a drop of sauce off of her finger. "Sit. Eat."

"But- But Mrs. Asakura said-"

Keiko shook her finger at Anna. "You were trained to obey, right?" she said. She didn't want to play this card, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "Kino put you into my care, and that means whatever I say goes. And I say eat." She placed a pair of chopsticks into Anna's small, thin hand and curled her fingers around the wooden sticks.

Anna stared at the food, and then attacked it. Within ten minutes she had devoured the entire bowl of chicken. It shot painfully guilty pangs through Keiko's heart to watch her inhale the food. Kino had been starving the child.

"Want some more?" she asked.

Anna shook her head. "I'm too full," she confessed.

"Then come on," Keiko said. "We'll drop by school, and then the mall."

School was in session when they came by. Keiko stifled the urge to have them page Yoh. Fifth-graders were too cool for their moms when they were at school.

The headmaster scrutinized Anna's application. "So she's been homeschooled?" he said.

"Yes," Keiko said. "She's very smart, though, and a hard worker."

"I see there are no records for her parents," he said.

"She's an orphan, a foster child," Keiko explained hurriedly. "If you notice, there's no birthday, either…"

"I see that," the headmaster said. He took off his glasses and smiled at Anna. "Well, she seems to be about the same age as your own son, Mrs. Asakura. We'll place her in the fifth grade with him and see how she does, all right?" He wrote something on Anna's application. "She'll need a full physical and the tuition down payment. But Anna can start school on Monday. Just send her in with Yoh, and I'll alert her teachers."

Keiko thanked the headmaster and took Anna back to the car. "Doctor tomorrow," she said. "Shopping today." She put the car into drive and pulled out. "You'll need new clothes for school. You won't wear a uniform until junior high…"

"I can't," Anna said quietly. "Mrs. Asakura said…that I wouldn't be allowed to wear anything else…until I became the Shaman Queen…I must wear black in reverence for the spirits I summon…"

Keiko stopped at a light, turned to Anna, and glared. "If I hear you say 'Mrs. Asakura said' one more time, I swear I will…." Her voice trailed off. She sighed heavily. "Anna, don't be afraid. If Kino gets angry, she'll take it out…" A thought suddenly struck Keiko's mind. "…She'll take it out on me, and not you." Keiko smiled at the little girl. "She can't do anything to you anymore." She thought Anna might have smiled back, just the tiniest bit, but she had to go back to driving.

Anna had never been in a mall before. She trailed behind Keiko, staring wide-eyed at the noisy, brightly colored surroundings. Keiko led her to the children's department. "Mm, sales!" she said cheerfully. She rifled through a spinning rack of clothes. "There's so much to buy. I'm so excited! I've never had a little girl of my own to shop for."

She went through the racks, picking out clothes that struck her eye. Bright colors, especially. Keiko watched Anna try on outfit after outfit, hoping a smile might light up Anna's face. But she never did.

After two hours of non-stop shopping, Keiko had found three large shopping bags' worth of clothes, and Anna was completely wiped out. The second she was buckled into the sun-warmed car she fell asleep, her chin tipping forward to rest on her chest. Keiko reached over her and leaned her seat back. Anna slept quietly the entire ride home, her chest rising and falling shallowly.

Keiko pulled the car into the gravel driveway. She unbuckled and smiled at Anna. "Come on, sweetheart," she whispered. She went over to Anna's door, unfastened her belt, and picked her up. Anna continued to sleep as Keiko carried her inside and tucked her into bed.

The school bus pulled up to the house a few hours later. "MOOOM!" Yoh shouted.

"Sh!" Keiko said. "Anna's taking a nap." She kissed her son's round cheek.

Yoh blinked. "The creature sleeps?" he inquired.

"She's human, Yoh," Keiko reminded him. "I want you to be nice to her, especially since she'll be going to school with you."

"You're not serious."

"Starting on Monday."

"You must be joking."

"In your class."

"Moooooom," Yoh whined.

She tweaked his nose. "Honey, I'm serious," she said. "I need you to take care of Anna at school. She's shy. You need to bring her out of her shell."

"She'll beat me up!" Yoh exclaimed.

"Yoh, she barely has enough muscles to walk," Keiko said dryly. "If you turn her sideways she disappears completely." She tossed him a takeout menu. "I bought her clothes today. She wears a size six in girl's. Six!"

"That means nothing to me, Mom."

"I figured. Pick out dinner."

Keiko, Yoh, and Mikihisa ate dinner, cleaned the kitchen, and Yoh had just started his homework at the kitchen table when Keiko remembered that Anna hadn't come downstairs to eat. She spooned a generous serving of beef and snow peas into a bowl, heated it up, and carried it upstairs.

She knocked on the door. "Anna?" she called softly. "Anna, are you awake?" She opened the door and slipped inside. The little girl was sleeping soundly, right where Keiko had left her. Keiko set the food on the nightstand, sat down on the edge of the bed, and patted her thin back. "Wake up, sweetie. You need to eat something."

Anna sat up, rubbing her eyes drowsily. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm awake, I'll get up, I'm so sorry-"

"Calm down, Anna," Keiko smiled. "I just want you to eat, and put on your jammies before you go back to sleep." She teased Anna with the bowl of hot food. "Mm, beef and snow peas in brown sauce, so yummy!" Anna grabbed the bowl eagerly and shoveled food into her mouth. "Hey, it's not going anywhere. You can slow down."

"I'm sorry; I'm just so hungry," Anna mumbled around a mouthful of food.

Keiko reached over and brushed a lock of hair out of Anna's eyes as she ate. The girl flinched slightly. "You need a haircut, little miss," she said. "I'll take you after your doctor's appointment."

Anna's head shot up. "I've never been to a doctor," she said, dark eyes huge.

"It's nothing to worry about," Keiko reassured her. "I'll be there with you. Nothing bad will happen." She set the bowl on the nightstand. "Put on your pajamas and climb back into bed. You look exhausted." Anna obeyed, folding her black dress neatly and falling back into bed. Keiko tucked her in. She fell asleep almost instantaneously, her head drooping against the pillow. Keiko smiled slightly and brushed a strand of fine, silky hair away from her face. "Goodnight, little one," she whispered. She kissed Anna goodnight and turned out the light.

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**Author's Note:**

It's always irked me that Anna is the width of a spoon, and that she always wears black. I want an explanation! So, I just made up my own.

Beef and snow peas in brown sauce IS yummy.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to Hiroyuki Takei and Shonen Jump, not me.

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The next morning, Yoh went off to school and Keiko let Anna sleep in before her eleven o'clock appointment. At ten Keiko went in and opened the curtains.

"Rise and shine, Anna!" she sang out. Anna grunted, rolled over, and buried her face in her pillow. "Come on, come on. We have to be at the doctor's office in an hour." Keiko pulled a little apple-green sundress out of the closet. "Wear this, okay?"

Anna sat up, rubbing her eyes drowsily. "I didn't mean to sleep this long," she mumbled.

"It's okay," Keiko said. "Just get dressed, little miss."

Anna obeyed, putting on the green dress and brushing her hair back. The doctor's office was about fifteen minutes from the house. They got there with plenty of time to spare.

"Kyoyama, Anna?" the receptionist called. She smiled when she saw the thin, nervous face. "Your mama can come in with you, honey, if you want." Anna glanced anxiously at Keiko. She grinned and followed her into the office.

"Hello, Anna," the doctor said. She flipped through Anna's file. "Just a school physical, right? That shouldn't take too long." She listened to Anna's heart and looked at her eyes, nose, and mouth. "Have you ever had a serious respiratory illness like pneumonia before?"

Anna blinked. "No, I don't think so," she said. "I have trouble-" She clamped her lips shut. Keiko glanced at her sternly out of the corner of her eye. "I have trouble breathing sometimes."

"Is it just when you run?"

"No, it just happens sometimes," Anna mumbled. She twisted her fingers together so tightly the fragile, papery knuckles turned white.

"Hm…that sounds like asthma," the doctor said. She scribbled something down on a notepad. "You'll need to get that looked at. It could develop into something more serious."

"Do you think it could be serious?" Keiko asked.

"It might, and it might not," the doctor said. "Okay, Anna, I need you to take off your dress and put this on, okay?" She handed her a paper robe. "I'll be back in a few minutes." The doctor left the room.

"I'll turn around," Keiko told Anna. It took a short time for Anna to change. "Give me your dress. You can climb back up on the table." Anna obeyed meekly. Her thin arms were faintly lavender. "Are you cold?" Anna nodded. "Want me to rub your shoulders?" Anna shook her head violently.

The door clicked open. "All right, this shouldn't take long," the doctor said. She stopped and stared at Anna's exposed back. "Were you in an accident?"

"No," Anna said.

"Where did these marks come from?" the doctor asked.

Anna looked over her shoulder. "I don't know," she said dully.

Keiko stood and came closer. Thick white lines of scar tissue crisscrossed across Anna's narrow back. "I don't know what to think of this," the doctor stuttered. "I should get Dr. Jikuda to see this…"

Anna sat quietly, her back ramrod-straight. "Anna," Keiko said. "You know what happened."

Silence.

"Kino beat you, didn't she?"

Still silence.

"Anna, please. Talk to me. Tell me what she did to you. Tell me everything. I'm begging you."

She didn't even turn around.

"…and she doesn't even know where it came from," the doctor said as she reentered. "You can see the extensive buildup of scarring."

"Yes, yes, I can see that," Dr. Jikuda said. He touched the longest scar. Anna jerked away. "Sorry, sorry. My hands must be cold." He probed the scars lightly, and Anna leaped away from him, behind the table.

"Don't touch me!" she shouted. "I don't want you to touch me!"

"We're not going to hurt you, we're just-"

"I don't want you to touch me!" Anna repeated, screaming at the top of her lungs. She wrapped her scrawny arms around her body, protecting herself.

Keiko's heart thudded. The doctors tried to reason with Anna, but it was to no avail. She continued to scream, lashing out if they came too close. "Oh, Anna," she murmured. "What did she do to you?"

"Please, don't be afraid," the doctor pleaded. "We aren't going to hurt you."

Anna's shouted threats became a high pitched, wordless wail. She fell on her knees, pressing her temple against the wall. Her wails became jagged sobs. Anna's lungs began to seize up as she screamed. The sobs broke into sharp, gasping wheezes. Her pale skin began to take on a light blue tint.

"She's losing oxygen fast," the doctor said. Anna fell on her hands and knees, struggling to breathe. Keiko hedged closer to her as the doctors went for emergency equipment.

"Anna," she said, calmly and firmly. "Anna, I will not hurt you. I will protect you from her. But you need to reach for me. Just hold out your arms to me, and I can take care of you. Let me touch you." Keiko held out her hands. _Please…please let her listen._

Anna collapsed towards her, gripping Keiko's forearms as her breathing became more and more desperate. Keiko pulled her close to her, feeling the chill that rapidly passed through Anna's body. The tiny, fragile hands clutched her; the bitten-off fingernails dug into her skin.

The doctors rushed back in. One of them held an inhaler to her lips. Keiko supported Anna's head and neck. The rapid frail breaths began to slow down as the medication traveled into Anna's lungs. When the medicine took effect, the doctor took the inhaler away and replaced it with an oxygen mask. Keiko settled Anna into her lap, cradling her close as the doctors coached Anna into breathing the pure oxygen. Warmth returned to the small body, and as her breathing relaxed, she fell into deep, heavy sleep. Keiko pressed her cheek to Anna's golden head and rocked her in her embrace.

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**Author's Note:**

I am absolutely convinced that at some point in her life, somewhere in her past, Anna was abused- physically, sexually, emotionally, or maybe a combination. She's just so, so…I don't know.

I think it comes from my personal life. When I reflect on things that have happened to me, I can see how that has influenced my personality and how I react to certain situations. Anna has such an enigmatic way of dealing with things, especially emotional things…there's got to be a reason.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to Hiroyuki Takei and Shonen Jump, not me.

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"I came as soon as I got the message," Mikihisa said. He grabbed Keiko into a tight hug. "Are you all right? How's Anna doing?"

"She's resting," Keiko said, her voice muffled as she buried her face in his broad shoulder. "I thought she was going to die. She couldn't breathe."

"What triggered it?" Mikihisa asked. "It couldn't have just happened."

Keiko pulled way. "The doctors tried to touch her scars."

"Scars? What scars?"

"Anna has scars all over her back," Keiko said. "Your mother beat her. She beat her horribly. When they tried to touch her…she snapped. She lost control and started screaming."

"Isn't there some way to help her?" Mikihisa asked.

Keiko slammed several plates down on the counter. "They want me to take her to a shrink," she said. "They think she's a headcase."

"No, she's not a headcase," Mikihisa said.

"Of course she's not."

"But she's obviously suffering," he countered. "Maybe if she goes through counseling, it can help her. Maybe she'll have a chance of being a normal little girl."

Keiko sighed and buried her face in her hands. "I don't know," she said, her voice muffled. "All I know…is that there's hope." She looked up at her husband. "Anna reached for me, you know. She held out her arms to me and let me hold her."

"Then there is hope," Mikihisa said.

Keiko gritted her teeth. "I think I can take care of her myself," she said. "She doesn't need a shrink. She has me."

Mikihisa shook his head. "Where's Yoh?" he asked.

"Taking laundry to everyone's rooms," Keiko said. "I did about twenty loads today. Stress…"

Soft footsteps startled them. "I'm hungry," Anna mumbled. Her hair stuck up on one side and her eyes were drowsy with sleep.

"Hello, little one," Mikihisa smiled. "Did you have a good nap?"

"I was really tired," she murmured.

"What do you want to eat, sweetheart?" Keiko asked. "I can get anything you want."

"Oh, no, anything is fine-"

Keiko touched her fingers lightly to Anna's lips. "Tell me what you want," she said.

"Sushi?" Anna asked hopefully.

"Ooh, good choice!" Keiko said. She pulled out a takeout menu. "I'll order a whole bunch. You can never have too much sushi." Anna sat quietly at the table, eyes blinking drowsily.

"Go back to bed, Anna," Mikihisa said kindly. "We'll bring some food up when it comes." Anna nodded and headed up the stairs. "She's exhausted, isn't she?"

"It was a long, hard day for her," Keiko said. Mikihisa reached over and massaged her shoulders.

"GET AWAY!"

The shrill scream pierced the quiet house. Keiko and Mikihisa raced upstairs.

"Don't touch me, get away, get away!"

"Anna, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't- ow!"

Anna bit Yoh's arm. Her thin arms flailed at him, her fists thudding against him. "Don't get near me! Don't touch my things!" she screamed. "Get away!"

Mikihisa grabbed the snarling, hissing little girl and picked her up. Her fists did nothing against his strong arms. Keiko reached for her son.

"Mama, Mama, I'm sorry," Yoh sobbed.

Keiko gathered him into her arms. "It's not your fault, baby," she murmured. She stroked his wet cheeks and examined the bleeding bites on his arms. Yoh clung to her. Keiko cradled her son. "Baby…my baby…"

She looked at the screaming little demon that Mikihisa struggled to hold. The dark eyes were crazed and wild. Red scratch marks crisscrossed over her thin, pale face. As Keiko watched Anna's back arc with spasms, she realized there was nothing she could do for her.

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**Author's Note:**

…


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to Hiroyuki Takei and Shonen Jump, not me.

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"So how long has this been going on?"

Keiko looked through the two-way mirror at Anna. "I'm not sure," she said. "My mother-in-law has been raising her for most of her life. She was abandoned."

"Yes, I saw that in her file," the psychologist said. "I gave her some markers to draw with while we talk. I'd like you to continue to watch her through the mirror. Perhaps you can help me try to understand her." The young doctor smiled at Keiko and went into the office.

"Hello, Anna," Doctor Sakura said cheerfully. "How are you doing?"

Anna looked up and pushed the box of markers towards her. They were carefully arranged by size and color. She looked up and blinked.

"Anna, I wanted you to color with the markers, not organize them," Doctor Sakura said gently. She pulled a smooth white sheet of paper out of the stack and set it front of Anna. "Can you draw me a picture, please? It can be of anything you want." Anna nodded and obediently picked up a marker. The doctor asked her some more questions, little things about her likes and dislikes. Anna answered quietly and briefly, continuing to draw. When she finished, she set the marker back in the box and sat back in her chair. "That's beautiful, Anna," Doctor Sakura said. She ran her fingers along the paper, her fingertips picking up a hint of the wet ink. "Is there a particular reason you drew a pinwheel?"

"They're all over Mount Osore," Anna murmured. "That's where I grew up."

"Did you play with the pinwheels?" the doctor asked.

Anna shook her head, eyes wide. "Oh," she said. "Mrs. Asakura wouldn't let me even touch them."

"What did you play with then?"

"I didn't have any toys," Anna said matter-of-factly. "I had to train."

"So you never got any time to play?"

Anna shook her head. Keiko pressed her hand against the mirror.

"Well, that's what I'm going to assign you for this week," Sakura said, smiling. "I want you to play."

"Oh, I can't," Anna said. "I can't. Mrs. Asakura would be so angry with me."

The young doctor looked into the large dark eyes. "Does she get angry with you often?" she asked softly.

A nod.

"What is she like when she's angry? Does she yell?"

A nod.

"Does she hit you?"

A pause.

And then a nod.

Doctor Sakura put her hands, palms up, on the tabletop. Anna blinked at her. "But Keiko doesn't hit you?"

Anna shook her head.

"You're safe with her," Sakura said. "When Keiko is around you, you can relax. You can be safe."

The tiny blonde child looked down at the table and the waiting hands, and placed her small fingertips against the palms.

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**Author's Notes:**

And now Anna begins to act her own age.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to Hiroyuki Takei and Shonen Jump, not me.

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Several weeks passed. Anna started fifth grade, although she primarily kept to herself in classes. She was quiet, a little distant, unusually subdued for a child of her age.

But she began to progress.

When Mikihisa asked her about her day, she answered him shyly, smiling slightly at his jokes. Once she even asked him to help with her homework.

When Keiko asked her what she wanted for dinner, she gave her a real answer without hesitation.

When Yoh asked her to play video games, she would nod her head and play for a while. She wasn't very good, but she would play with him.

As her counseling sessions she would chat with Doctor Sakura, drawing pictures and eating chocolate chip cookies- snacks that had always been forbidden to her, but had quickly become her vice.

But Keiko was still waiting for a breakthrough, the one moment where she could see Anna as a real little girl. And it finally happened.

The phone call came at around eleven o'clock. Keiko was reading a book when the telephone jangled. "Hello?" she said, slightly irritated at the interruption. But she closed the book when she heard screaming in the background.

"Mrs. Asakura? This is Sumire Ishiyama, the school nurse at Shimane Private…"

Keiko dropped the book. "What is it? What's wrong?" she asked. The terrified screams went to straight to her heart.

"It's Anna, Mrs. Asakura, she had a bad fall," the nurse said. "She fell on a railroad tie by the playground and cut her knee open."

Keiko was already grabbing her car keys. "Tell her I'll be there as soon as I can," she said.

Within ten minutes she was at the school. The door to the nurse's office was slightly ajar, and she could see several people hovering around a screaming child. "Anna?" Keiko said. "Oh, Anna, honey…"

Blood gushed freely from the deep wound in her small knee. The creamy white bone was apparent through the gash. Anna was sobbing at the top of her lungs, absolutely terrified. Keiko hugged her tightly, careful not to jostle her injured knee. "It's all right, baby, I'm here," she soothed. "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid." Anna clung to her, her small thin arms wrapped tightly around Keiko's neck.

"She was doing all right until she looked down and saw all the blood," the nurse said. "We've already sent for an ambulance, and it should be here soon."

Keiko smoothed Anna's hair. "You're going to be okay," she murmured into Anna's ear.

"It hurts," Anna whimpered. "I'm going to bleed to death…"

"No, no, precious, you're going to be fine," Keiko reassured her. The little girl's sobs began to muffle. The siren outside became louder as the ambulance pulled up. Keiko stroked her hair. Blood covered Anna's little yellow dress and smeared over her skinny legs. The paramedics tugged the child away from her to transfer onto the gurney, but Anna's tears increased. She stared at Keiko, panic in her eyes. And then she said something that Keiko had never expected to hear.

"Mama!" she wailed, stretching out her arms. "Mama!"

Keiko's heart broke. "I'm right beside you, little one, I'm right beside you," she said. "Mama's here, baby, Mama will take care of you." She grasped Anna's tiny, bony hand. The small fingers clutched hers, white-knuckled. The gurney jostled Anna. Her face went white, and then she slumped back in a faint. Keiko stayed beside her.

Anna remained unconscious as she was taken to the hospital, had her knee stitched up, and was transferred to a quiet room by herself. Keiko remained with her, watching the still pale face. It was nearly two hours later that the dark eyes slowly opened.

Keiko moved quickly to Anna's side. "Hi, sweetheart," she said. "You've been asleep for a while. How are you feeling?"

"My knee hurts," Anna whispered, her voice raspy. "Can I have something to drink, please?"

"Sure, honey," Keiko said. She helped Anna sit up and held a glass of water to pale lips. "Drink slowly, that's a girl." Anna gulped the water down, and a little bit of color returned to her pale cheeks.

"Hey, she's awake." Mikihisa came into the hospital room, Yoh at his heels, and set a duffel bag down on the floor. "Hi, princess. Feeling better?" She nodded and allowed him to kiss her cheek.

"Let me see what you brought," Keiko said, picking up the duffel bag.

Yoh approached Anna's bed. "Hi," he said shyly.

"Hi," Anna whispered.

The boy pulled something out from behind his back and held it out to her. "I got you these," he said.

Anna reached out to him. "No one's ever given me flowers before," she murmured. She reached for the pale yellow roses; her small hands brushed lightly against his fingers. Impulsively Yoh leaned over and touched his lips against her soft warm cheek. Anna blushed.

"Anna, I- ooh, okay," Keiko said. She cleared her throat. Yoh pulled away from her. "Miki brought you some clean clothes. Let's send the boys out so you can get changed." She waved her hands at her husband and son. "Shoo, shoo." Keiko pulled out a little pale blue tank top dress and shook out the wrinkles. "This'll be easy to put on with your poor knee." Keiko helped her out of her bloodstained yellow dress. Anna was weak and could barely stand, even with help.

Mikihisa knocked on the door. "You done?" he asked. He took in the little girl's white, drawn face and her hands resting heavily on Keiko's shoulders. "Let me pick her up."

"No, no, it's okay," Anna murmured. She pushed herself back on the bed, and Keiko lifted her damaged knee. Mikihisa lifted the covers over her anyway, and tucked her in snugly.

"It's late. We'd better go," Keiko said. She placed her hand on Anna's cheek. "You have to stay here at least overnight, sweetheart. We'll be back tomorrow, so obey the nurses and have sweet dreams, okay?" She kissed Anna's forehead.

"Bye, Mama," Anna said. She watched them leave.

"Are you sure she's going to be all right?" Yoh asked as he climbed in the car.

"I'm sure she will, sweetie," Keiko said. "She'll only be there for a little while, and then we can take her home. She'll be just fine."

But it turned out it wasn't fine.

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**Author's Note:**

Another small crack, leading to the real breaking point.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to Hiroyuki Takei and Shonen Jump, not me.

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The phone rang at one o'clock in the morning. Mikihisa reached over his wife and picked it up. "Hello?" he mumbled.

"Asakura-san?"

"Yes, that's me," Mikihisa said.

"I'm calling from Shimane General. I'm very sorry to wake you, but it's about Anna," the young woman apologized.

"Is she all right?" Mikihisa demanded.

"She's been having nightmares, talking in her sleep and reaching out for things that aren't there," the nurse said. "When she wakes up, she just sits there and cries until she falls back asleep. I think it would be best if you could just talk to her."

Mikihisa was already grabbing his clothes. "Tell her I'm coming," he said. "I'll be there as soon as possible." _But first_, he thought, _I have to look for something…_

He was at the hospital in half an hour. The hallways were quiet and dark, with only a handful of night-shift nurses at their stations. Mikihisa headed straight to Anna's room. The little girl was sitting up in bed, crying quietly.

"Hey, don't cry," he soothed. He sat down next to her and took her hand. "What's wrong, bunny? Tell me what's wrong. Is it the pain?" Anna shook her head. He placed his hand on her forehead, then touched her cheeks with the backs of his hands. "Forehead's warm, cheeks are cold. Poor thing…" He brightened suddenly. "I brought you something, bunny." Mikihisa reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded square of pale yellow fabric. "I believe this is yours."

Anna's face lit up. "My blanket!" she squealed. She sounded like the child she was.

Mikihisa laughed as he shook it out and draped it over her. "That helps, doesn't it?" he smiled. He patted her little tummy. "You just need a little love and attention, don't you?"

"I don't mean to be a bother," Anna said in a small voice.

Mikihisa snuggled her against him and kissed her temple. "You're not a bother. You're my bunny," he said. "My little girl." Anna snuggled against him, her blanket drawn up to her chin. Mikihisa turned on the television, settling on a Cardcaptor Sakura rerun. Anna drooped into sleep, her long blonde hair dangling over her face and brushing against his arms. She slept soundly like that for hours, deep and refreshing sleep that brought the roses back into her cheeks.

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**Author's Note:  
**Something noticeably absent in Anna's life: a father figure.

I adore Mikihisa.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Shaman King belongs to Hiroyuki Takei and Shonen Jump, not me.

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The little girl healed quickly after that. Her knee grew stronger. She gained weight. But more importantly, she became part of the family. Mikihisa was "Daddy," Keiko was "Mama." She followed Yoh like a little duckling at school, and he made her a part of his group of friends. Her smiles were more and more frequent, and she even started giggling.

Until…

"Mom!" Yoh shouted. "There's a taxi coming up the drive!"

Keiko poked her head out the door. "I wasn't expecting anyone," she said.

Anna got up from the grass. "It's Kino," she whispered. She ran to Keiko and wrapped her arms around her waist. "Mama, Kino-sama's come back."

"Honey, honey, it's okay," Keiko soothed. She rubbed the slender, suddenly cold little arms. "Yoh, take Anna inside and get your father." Yoh took Anna by the hand and led her inside. Keiko crossed her arms as she walked closer to the taxi. "Hi, Mom," she said, her voice cool. She knew she should have at least some respect for her mother-in-law, but every time she saw her, all she could think of was the fear in a little girl's eyes.

"Don't wait long, I'll be back in a moment," Kino said to the cabdriver. She slammed the door. "I'm here for Anna, Keiko. Bring her here." Keiko shifted her weight from foot to foot. Kino slammed her cane on the ground. "Didn't you hear me? Bring the child here!"

"No," Keiko said. She rubbed her elbows. "I can't let you take her. I can't."

"And why is that?" Kino snapped.

"You beat her!" Keiko exclaimed. "You ruled her life with an iron rod, she starts shaking in fear whenever she thinks about you!"

"She should respect her elders-"

"Respect? She's terrified!" Keiko snorted. "Oh, come on, Kino, she's a ten-year-old child! She's nothing but a baby."

"Kei? Keiko, what is it?" Mikihisa came behind his wife. "Mother, what are you doing here?"

"I came for Anna, and your idiot for a wife refuses to bring her to me," Kino said.

"Keiko is my wife, Mother; you will speak of her with respect," Mikihisa retorted.

Kino beat her cane down again. "I, quite frankly, don't care," she said. "Bring me the child. Bring her here now."

"She doesn't want to go with you, Grammy," Yoh said.

Keiko wrapped her arms protectively around her child. "Yoh, honey, go inside and take care of Anna," she said. "Stay out of it, baby."

"So she's inside, is she?" Kino said. She started towards the front door. Yoh wriggled out of his mother's arms and bolted.

"You can't have her. All you do is make her unhappy!" Yoh blurted out.

Kino studied her grandson for a moment. Then she used the head of her cane to hit him aside. Yoh stumbled to the ground.

"Yoh!" Anna tumbled out of the house and fell on her knees beside him.

"Anna, Anna, sweetheart, go inside, go inside now!" Keiko said. "I'll take care of Yoh. Miki, get Anna." Mikihisa swept the little girl into his arms, cradling her like a baby. Keiko helped Yoh up; his hand went to the rapidly developing bruise on his temple. "I can't believe you would hit your own grandson."

"I do not see him as my grandson, I see him as the future Shaman King," Kino said coldly. "And _she _will be his wife. His wishes come far before his. She will serve two purposes in life: the consort and the concubine. She will train him to be a king, and she will bear the heirs of the Asakura family."

"She is a child," Mikihisa said, cuddling Anna against his chest. "And a human being. She will be no one's concubine."

"I don't even know what that is," Yoh muttered. Keiko couldn't help but laugh quietly as she smoothed Yoh's hair.

"I have to go," Anna murmured. Her little arms twined around Mikihisa's neck. "Daddy, if I'm going to take care of Yoh, I need to go."

"But who's going to take care of you, bunny?" he asked. He kissed the side of her head. "You'll be alone, bunny."

"No, I won't, Daddy; put me down," she said. Mikihisa set her down cautiously, keeping her weight off of her bad knee.

"Baby, baby, be careful!" Keiko warned.

"I'm okay, Mama," Anna said. She stepped cautiously toward Kino, limping heavily. "I have to take care of Yoh. He needs me to take care of him…I need him to take care of me."

"You don't need anyone to take care of you, Anna," Kino said. "You are-"

"I need him," she said quietly. "But more importantly, you need me." Her voice was calm, collected, and far too mature for a ten-year-old. "Kino-san, you have trained me since I was a baby. There is no way you can find someone else to take my place as the shaman queen. You need me. I will return with you, as long you train me as an itako…and have no other contact with me."

Mikihisa stood behind Anna, placing his big hands on her tiny narrow shoulders. "The little one is wiser than her years," he said. "Listen to her."

"She's endured enough abuse," Keiko said. Kino's eyes were murderous.

Yoh pushed himself off the ground. "Does anyone care what I think?" he asked. He barreled on without waiting for a response. "Anna's going to be my wife. She's going to be my responsibility, and it's my responsibility to make sure she's happy."

"She's not meant to be happy. She's meant to be an itako." Kino shifted her anger towards him. "Don't you know that you're to be the shaman king? That all of the hopes and dreams of five hundred years rest on your scrawny shoulders?"

"I don't care!" Yoh blurted out. "I just want her to be happy!"

Anna turned to Yoh. "I haven't been really happy yet, but I'll tell you as soon as I am," she said. She reached over and took his hands. "We'll take care of each other, okay?"

Yoh studied her face carefully. "All right," he conceded. "Promise you'll be okay?" She nodded, smiling sweetly and innocently. "I trust you."

Anna leaned over, and they exchanged kisses on the cheek. "I trust you too."

Mikihisa turned to his mother. "You will take excellent care of her," he said, his voice laced with threats.

"I will grant her request," Kino said stiffly, unable to back down. "I will teach her to be an itako, but otherwise, she will be left to her own devices."

Keiko pulled Anna against her, cuddling her closely. "If anything happens, baby, you promise you'll call me?" Anna responded with a kiss on the cheek. Keiko closed her eyes, memorizing the feel of her small daughter in her arms. She sent up a silent prayer of protection and blessing for the child.

She was gone by the end of the day. Keiko moped around the house for while, and Mikihisa kept finding little reminders of her around the house. Yoh was the only one who seemed unaffected by Anna's absence. He continued to keep his cheerful smile.

They only saw Anna a couple of times a year- New Year's, the summer break. The two children grew taller, older. Keiko could see the changes in her little girl. She became more and more beautiful and confident in herself. The years of abuse had taken its toll, true, but she had become strong.

Years passed. Finally, it was time. Time to buy a white gown, crimson roses, a ring. Yoh and Anna stood before the altar, hands held tightly. They exchanged their vows, their rings, their hearts.

And as Yoh bent to kiss his new little bride, her murmured in her ear:

"Are you happy?"

She pulled away from him softly, her lips rosy from his kiss and a soft blush on her cheeks.

"The happiest."

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**Author's Note:**

And now the real breaking point, when Anna learns to be strong but not hard, loving but not defenseless.

Why do I write such sappy endings?


End file.
